Criterion staff honored for excellence in journalism
Criterion staff report
Staff members of The Criterion were recently honored for excellence in journalism by three organizations.
The recognition included awards from the Catholic Media Association of the United States and Canada (CMA) and the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW).
NFPW at-large and national awards
The recognition for work completed during the 2025 calendar year started in May when staff writer Natalie Hoefer garnered four awards from NFPW’s at-large contest for states without a local contest:
—First place: Specialty Articles, Social Issues—“New program would ‘change the whole paradigm’ for those released from prison.” The article focused on the archdiocese’s new Catholic Charities-Prison Re-entry program to help formerly incarcerated inmates re-enter society.
One judge wrote, “This is beautifully written, and this piece has wonderful reporting. I love the topic, and I love that you’re bringing light to it and asking for donations. Great job here!”
—First place: Special Articles, Religion—“New Albany Deanery’s Summer Daze program helps youths live out their faith.”
“I’m amazed at the quotes of kids that are so young,” a judge wrote. “Fantastic piece, and what a wonderful program!”
—First place: Photography, Photography-Writer—“Contributions to coverage of the National Catholic Youth Conference [articles and photos].”
“Beautiful story through telling of photographs,” judges wrote. “The expressions you captured in your photos truly show the emotions and excitement these children were experiencing. The cover image conveys your vision for this piece beautifully.”
—Second place: Feature Story, Print-based Newspaper—“Madison shop leads to blessings paid forward and ‘Holy Spirit’ moments.”
Judges wrote, “This is a heartfelt and compelling feature that effectively blends personal narrative with community impact. The story has a strong emotional core, anchored in [Bonnie] Wentworth’s journey from personal struggle to purpose-driven business, and it maintains a clear throughline centered on faith, service and transformation.”
All three of her at-large first-place entries advanced to the national NFPW competition.
In the national competition, Hoefer’s honors included:
—1st Place – Photography, Photographer-Writer for “Contributions to staff coverage of National Catholic Youth Conference”
—Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles, Social Issues for “New program would ‘change the whole paradigm’ for those released from prison”
—Honorable Mention – Specialty Articles, Religion for “New Albany Deanery’s Summer Daze program helps youths ‘live out the faith.’ ”
CMA awards
The staff received more recognition on June 19 during the awards program, held in Atlantic City, N.J., of the Catholic Media Association of the United States and Canada.
Hoefer was awarded second place in the Best Photograph-National/International Event category for a candid photo of teenagers praying at the National Catholic Youth Conference.
“The image is a striking and dynamic capture,” judges wrote, “conveying a vivid sense of sound and emotion while using color and movement to create a powerful and immersive impact.”
Hoefer also received second place recognition for “Best Reporting of Social Justice Issues—Life and Dignity of the Human Person” for her story “New program would ‘change the whole paradigm’ for those released from prison.”
“This entry is one of the best-reported pieces in this category,” judges wrote. “It opens with a vivid human portrait before methodically delivering firsthand voices, showing how the program was developed and explaining the specific mechanics with clarity and detail.”
Assistant editor John Shaughnessy was awarded second place in the “Best Reporting on a Special-Age Group—Young Adults ages 18-40” category for his story “Scenes from a young filmmaker’s life—and the faith and love at the heart of it.” The article focused on former longtime member of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish Branden Stanley and his work with Spirit Juice Studios, a Chicago-area company that creates award-winning films primarily focused on sharing the depth and the beauty of the Catholic faith.
Judges wrote, “This is an excellent profile that shows how faith influences this young filmmaker’s career and everyday life. The in-depth and detailed interview and storytelling made it stand out.”
Shaughnessy also received third place recognition in the Hot Topic-Jubilee Year category for his story “ ‘The gift of life that we have to honor’: Finding a path to hope after a tragic night.”
The article reflected on a tragic car accident that took the life of David Marshall and led friends Tony and Donna Talbert and others to begin a charitable program to honor David’s memory. It also shared how Tony Talbert reached out to forgive the person in prison who caused the accident.
“This article is well-written and truly gives hopes to the reader. Good job,” judges wrote.
Reporter Sean Gallagher was recognized with an honorable mention award in the “Best Regular Column—Family Life” category for his monthly “Faith and Family” column.
Editor Mike Krokos earned an honorable mention honor in “Best Editorial on a National or International Issue—Weekly newspaper” for his editorial, “May all generations continue building a culture of life.” The editorial focused on the more than 1,000 high school and college students who in January participated in the annual Indiana March for Life in downtown Indianapolis.
In recognizing The Criterion staff for its dedication in serving the people of central and southern Indiana, Sally Krause, archdiocesan executive director for communications, said the honors are well deserved.
“Our team is very committed to the newspaper’s evangelizing mission, and it is always affirming when we get recognition for our dedication and hard work,” Krause said. †